BAPTISM

I must say that this is one of such controversial issues in today's world: "Is water baptism required for all believers?"
Is this required before salvation, after conversion or receiving the Gospel or otherwise?
However, we have submitted that these questions look too simplistic as answering this will be over-simplified on a subject that has spanned at least over a thousand years of the existence of the post-resurrection church.
I must also admit that, the subject of baptism has always differed across denominational lines and this we are not going to exploit in any form or manner.
As a younger believer, I must also say that the concept of baptism was a bit confusing to me. Before I got saved, I became baptized with water at least on two occasions. After I got saved equally, I had that experience as a younger believer; a younger convert and even picked up my name from that baptismal experience. So, I will be the last person to say that water baptism is evil or takes away from your faith or it is not biblical/ scriptural.
However, how scriptural should the concept of baptism be seen? What is the theology behind the immersion of water? Are we sure that we have not traditionally upheld what is not theologically accurate, even if it can be described in Scripture but the prescriptions might just be very different from how we have approached it?
Now, it is not out of place to also address that of recent, a whole lot of hoopla had been raised, especially around what is usually called the Christocentric or the hyper-grace movement both of which I strongly affirm many things that have been said and taught in such movements. Movements are part of humanity and we cannot rule it out and humanity has been known to walk in denominational lines.
It has become an issue and personally I saw where the lacuna, the gaps, the chasms as it were in the understanding of looking at the subject of baptism. Therefore, in this book, we are looking at it in a critical way more than just taking a denominational slant or opinion against it. We are going to see, why did Paul in 1st Corinthians 1:14, 17 say:
I thank God that I baptized none of you...For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel...
Why make such a statement that I have considered the clearest theological statement that Paul made on the subject of water baptism. But does that make it wrong or otherwise inappropriate to have people baptized with water, seeing that Paul himself did baptize people with water.
In going further, there had been a whole lot of arguments along these lanes and this did not stem in the recent years. Like I highlighted earlier, it has taken almost a whole life of the church today. So, our approach will be to view the subject of baptism in a wholesome manner and ensure that every believer comes through these pages with light, understanding and critical issues he must consider because for me and for us in Saints Community Church, the Word of God is not just information for information sake rather, information that brings revelation that should enhance our worship and service of God even today.
As earlier stated, in reading materials and commentaries on baptism, I have seen more of side taking or opinion molding rather than giving it a wholesale, wholesome approach even in how it is read and understood. What we have done in this book is to take a longer journey than just the short cut of reading into text or proof texting on the subject of baptism or just reading descriptions and then foisting them as biblical theology that must be adhered to or maybe mischievously quoting Paul in 1st Corinthians 1:17 and not seeing the whole context of what he was saying.